Rotary refuse converter



July 23, 1963 D. c. LAN-rz, JR 3,098,458l

ROTARY REFUSE CONVERTER V Filed Nov. 1, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

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July 23, 1963 D. c. LAN-rz, JR

ROTARY REFUSE CONVERTER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. l. 1961 INVENTOR. /lf 4f/rz, de. BY

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wm QN w NNN k .Gm Q NN HHHIT I l m HT R Ill. Q *All 1 [Hulk w N Flm Nw Q United States Patent O 3,098,458 RQTARY REFUSE CNVERTER Dae C. Lantz, 1r., Burbank, Calif., assigner to Pan American Resources, Ine., Burbank, Caiii. Filed Nov. 1, 1961, Ser. No. 149,266 2 Claims. (Cl. liti- 14) This invention relates to a rotary refuse converter or retort and has as its primary object the provision of an .improved retort of this character for the recovery of reusable gases from the conversion of waste material fed thereinto.

An additional very importan-t object of the invention is the provision of an improved sealing means for preventing the escape of such reusable and recoverable gases through either the inlet or the outlet of the device.

A furtlher object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character provided with means whereby certain of the recovered gases may be employed in the combustion unit interiorly of the retort utilized in converting the refuse lor the like.

Still other objects reside in the combinations of elements, arrangements of parts, and ffeatures of construction, all as will be more fully pointed out hereinafter and disclosed in the accompanying drawings wherein there is shown a preferred embodiment of this inventive concept.

In the drawings:

FIGURE l is a side view, partially in elevation and partially in section, disclosing one form of the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially Aalong the line 3--3 of FIG. 1 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary detail sectional view of certain constructional elements shown in FIG. 3.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line 5-5 of FIG. 1 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line 6-6 -of FIG. l as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line 7-7 of FIG. l as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line 8-8 of FIG. 7 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows; and

FIGURE 9 is an enlarged fragmentary detail View of certain structural components shown in FIG. S.

FIGURE l() is a fragmentary view showing a oonstructional detail.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

Having reference now to the drawings in detail, the apparatus of the instant invention is generally indicated at 10 and comprises a housing generally indicated at 11, which includes an arcuate top wall 12, substantially vertical side walls 13, a rela-.tively flat bottom 14, and opposite end walls and 16. The assembly may, if desired, be supported on suitable legs or supports 17.

One tor more exhaust tubes or chimneys 18 are provided to permit the escape of smoke and gases from the interior of .the housing, the chimneys being provided with conventional conical hoods 19, supported interiorly of the flues or chimneys 1S by supports 2) leaving a lower escape space 21 (see FIG. 5).

Interiorly of the housing 11 is a cylindrical retort 25, which is rotatable, in a manner hereinafter to be described, `and which extends outwardly through both the end walls 15 and 16. As shown in FIG. 1, the retort 25 3,%,453 Patented .italy Z3, 1963 ice is slightly inclined toward the discharge end, `at an angle of approximately 2 degrees downwardly, although, if desired, this angle may be varied in accordance with specific conditions, or the retort 25 may be substantially horizontal.

The end 26 of retort 25 which projects through the end wall 15 comprises the intake or receiving end of the retort, and extends through an opening 27 in end wall 15, the opening being provided with an external flange 28 which secures in place `a sealing gasket 219, bolts 30 being employed to lrold the iiange 2S and its associated gasket in position (see FIGS. 3 and 4).

A U-shaped circular track 31 is provided which rests upon a pair of rollers 32 and 33 which are rotatably mounted on axles 34 and 35, which in turn are carried by uprights 36 and 37 extending from a transverse member 3S which is in turn supported by an upright 3-9. T he roller 32 constitutes an idler roller while the roller 33 comprises a drive roller, being provided wit-h a pulley 40 which in turn is driven by ya belt 41 extending from a pulley 42 carried by the drive shaft 43 of a conventional motor 44, which may be electric or any other desired type, the latter in turn being supported by a bracket 45 which extends from the upright 39.

An end plate Si) seals the adjacent end of retort 25, and is provided with a central opening 51, while an outer plate 52 is bolted as by means of bolts 53 to an L-shaped iiange 54 fixed to the end of retort 25. A sealing gasket 55 is provided in the open space of the L-shaped flange and is held in position by a closure flange 56, all as best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The plate 50 is also provided with a central opening 57 through which extends a refuse inlet tube 58. The tube 58 has an extending end 59 which extends a material distance in-teriorly ofthe plates 50 and 52 to permit the kdischarge of any material well Within the cylindrical retort 25. A piston 60 is seated in the tubular member 5S `and is actuated by means of a piston rod 61, either hydnaulically or in any desired manner to intermittently feed refuse falling from a vertical pipe 62 into the tubular member 58.

The upright tube 62 communicates with an inlet hopper 63 into which refuse or the like is fed through -an inclined tube 6d provided with a rotary helix 65 driven in any desired conventional manner and mounted on an axle 66. The juncture of the members 62 and 63 comprises a conventional pair of flanges 67 as best seen in FIG. l. Sealing means are provided for the intake tube 62 and take the form, as best shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, of horizontally slidable plates 76 and 71 which are mounted between guide plates 72 and 73 which extend laterally on opposite sides of the intake tube 62. The plates are provided respectively with piston rods 74 and 75 which are actuated in any desired conventional manner, as by hydraulic means, and interconnected so that when plate 70 is cpened, plate 71 is closed and Vice versa. One such means may, illustratively, comprise a hydraulic cylinder 176 having ya piston 171 therein and opposite lixed inlets 172 and 173, as best shown in FiGU-RE l0. Oppositely disposed piston rods 174 and 175 are pivotally connected to centrally pivoted levers 176 and 177 which in turn are pivotally connected to piston -rods 74 and 75, respectively, opposite linear movement of piston 171 obviously opening one .of the plates 7 (l or '71 while closing the other. The piston rods 74 and 75 extend through suitable seals 76 and 77 on Iopposite sides of the inlet 62, the arrangement thus being such that the inlet tube 62 is continually sealed at one of two selected points, -a third seal being pnovided by the piston 60 as it moves forward to discharge materials from the horizontal inlet 58. Guide tracks Sil are provided on tube 62 for the plates 72 and 73 to preclude misalignment of the plates during their spaanse transverse movement into open or closed position, and have positioned therein hard plastic seals 88a.

Each of the plates 70 and 71 are provided with a cutting edge 81 which serves to sever any long pieces of refuse or the like entering the ldischarge end of helix 65 and hopper 63, it being noted that the material red to the retort 25 is usually thoroughly macerated before entry.

Recesses 82 and 83, respectively, are provided on the side of inlet member '62 opposite the piston rods 74 and 75 for the reception and sealing of the end 81 of each of plates 70 and 71, and ane provided with a hard plastic 1n=ternal seal l83a to prevent any further escape of gases.

The opposite end of retort 25 extends outwardly of wall .16 through a suitable central opening 8S therein which is sealed by means of a sealing ring 86 substantially identical to the arrangement previously disclosed in connection with the opposite end of the device. However, at Ithis end the retort is opened and enters a discharge receptacle 87 through a suitable sealing ring 88, the receptacle emptying into an outlet tube 87a. Refuse from the retort falls by gravity from the outlet tube 87a into a horizontal zdischarge tube 88a within which is positoned an actuating piston 89 which is operated by a piston rod 90, the latte-r being operated hydraulically or in any other desired manner. A vertical sealing tube 91 is provided at the end of horizontal tube 88a, and cont-ains a piston 92 which is actuated hydraulically or in any other desired manner by a piston rod 93 synchronously with the piston 89, the arrangement being such that the piston 92 is in its upper or open position only when the piston 89 is in a posi-tion to close the lower or discharge opening of the tubular member 87a. A refuse discharge tube 93a is provided at the lower end of vertical member 91, and carries ya discharge helix 94 for the conveyance of carbonized refuse to any desired position. The gases of combustion escaping from the material consumed in the retort escape outwardly through a tube 95 which contains a suitable exhaust blower 96 of conventional construction, and 'thence through a iitting 97 controlled by a valve 98 to a suitable gas llaring device 99, the products of combustion being carried oit by Aa ue pipe 189.

By control of the valve 98 the gases resulting from the combustion of the refuse in retort 25 may be redirected through a tube or pipe 101 to a horizontally extending pipe 182 provided with `a plurality of burner heads 103, the latter serving to incinerate the refuse in the constantly rotating retort 25. An additional source of gas for the burner heads 103 is provided by means of a suitable gas discharging and/ or mixing valve 184 from an inlet line 105 extending from a suitable source of combustible gas. This additional source of combustible gas is necessary to pre-heat the retort and as a secondary source of gas to continue operation should the Volume of generated gas lill below the needed operational amount. A track 186 is provided on the discharge end of the retort 25 and is substantially identical to Ithe track i311, and is supported on a pair of rollers 107 carried by a transverse member 188 mounted :on a vertical support 109 all substantially identical to the previously disclosed rollers 32 and supports 38 and 39, the exception being that both of the lrollers 107 are idler rollers, the sole source of power being the power rollers 35 From the foregoing the use and operation of the device should now be readily apparent. Refuse is fed by means of the helix 65 into the hopper 63 and thence through the sealing plates 70 and '71, it being noted that when the plate 7d is in open position the plate '71 is in closed positionand vice versa, thus effectively sealing the inlet 62, into the inlet 58 from which the refuse is periodically discharged by means `of the piston 68 into the retort 25. The retort 25 is very slowly rotated by means of the motor 44, and the burner heads 183 apply suicient heat to car bonize completely the combustible refuse in the retort. The charred refuse then passes into the header 87 and through the outlet 87a into the discharge pipe 88 from which it is removed periodically by piston 89, sealing being eitected by means of the piston 92 in the tubular member 91. The carbonized refuse then falls to the helix 94 from which it is conveyed to any desired locale.

Simultaneously, the recovered gases lare passed by the blower 96 through the valve 98, the flaring device 99 to the Hue pipe 188 which extends to any desirable locale. Portions of these gases may be redirected through the line 101 to the burner heads 103 for reuse if desired.

From the foregoing it will now be seen that there is herein provided an improved refuse converter and seal therefor which accomplishes the objects of this invention, and others including many advantages of great prac-tical utility and commercial importance.

As many embodiments may be made of this inventive concept, and as many modifications may be made in the embodiment hereinbetore shown and described, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

l. In a refuse converter, the combination of a housing, a rotary converter extending longitudinally ot' said housing, burner means in said housing for heating said converter, means for rotating said converter, a lixed refuse inlet tube structure at one end of said converter, a iixed discharge receptacle and a charred refuse outlet tube at the other end of said converter, sealing means between said rotary converter and said discharge receptacle and sealing means between said rotary converter and said inlet tube structure to preclude escape tot gases from said converter, an outlet pipe for recovered combustible gases from said converter extending from said discharge -receptacle to said burner means, sealing means for said refuse inlet tube, sealing means for said charred refuse outlet tube, valve means in said outlet pipe for selectively directing a portion of said recovered combustible gases to said burner means, said refuse inlet tube structure including a horizontal tube extending into said converter and a vertical tube communicating with said horizontal tube, a piston reciprocable in said horizontal tube to force refuse falling from said vertical tube into said converter, said sealing means for said refuse inlet tube structure `comprising a pair of horizontally slidable plates in said ve'ntical tube, means for selectively sliding one of said plates to tube opening position when the other of said plates is in tube closing position, said vertical tube being substantially rectangular in cross-section and said plates conforming to the interior configuration thereof, guide channels for said plates extending transversely across said ertical tube, and a sealing gasket in said vertical tube for engagement by tlie end of each plate.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein additional sealing gaskets are provided in said guide channels, and wherein the ends of each of said plates are provided with cutting edges to sever long pieces of material entering said vertical tube.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNlTED STATES PATENTS 1,029,444 Hoffman June 1l, 1912 1,282,638 Schneider Oct. 22, 1918 1,809,819 Caller June 16, 1931 2,082,870 Caifrey Iune `8, 1937 2,100,937 Bowe Nov. 30, 1937 2,127,328 Egan Aug. 16, 1938 2,138,356 Ryan et al Nov. 29, 1938 2,274,780 Duerr et al Mar. 3, -1942 2,938,804 Gordon e-t al May 31, 1960 

1. IN A REFUSE CONVERTER, THE COMBINATION OF A HOUSING, A ROTARY CONVERTER EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY OF SAID HOUSING, BURNER MEANS IN SAID HOUSING FOR HEATING SAID CONVERTER, MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID CONVERTER, A FIXED REFUSED INLET TUBE STRUCTURE AT ONE END OF SAID CONVERTER, A FIXED DISCHARGE RECEPTACLE AND A CHARRED REFUSE OUTLET TUBE AT THE OTHER END OF SAID CONVERTER, SEALING MEANS BETEEN SAID ROTARY CONVERTER AND SAID DISCHARGE RECEPTACLE AND SEALING MEANS BETWEEN SAID ROTARY CONVERTER AND SAID INLET TUBE STRUCTURE TO PRECLUDE ESCAPE OF GASES FROM SAID CONVERTER, AN OUTLET PIPE FOR RECOVRED COMBUSTIBLE GASES FROM SAID CONVERTER EXTENDING FROM SAID DISCHARGE RECEPTACLE TO SAID BURNER MEANS, SEALING MEANS FOR SAID REFUSE INLET TUBE, SEALING MEANS FOR SAID CHARRED REFUSE OUTLET TUBE A VALVE MEANS IN SAID OUTLET PIPE FOR SELECTIVELY DIRECTING A PORTION OF SAID RECOVERED COMBUSTIBLE GASES TO SAID BURNER MEANS, SAID REFUSE INLET TUBE STRUCTURE INCLUDING A HORIZONTAL TUBE EXTENDING INTO SAID CONVERTER AND A VERTICAL TUBE COMMUNICATING WITH SAID HORIZTONAL TUBE, A PISTON RECIPROCABLE IN SAID HORIZONTAL TUBE TO FORCE REFUSE FALLING FROM SAID VERTICAL TUBE INTO SAID CONVERTER, SAID SEALING MEANS FOR SAID REFUSE INLET TUBE STRUCTURE COMPRISING A PAIR OF HORIZONTALLY SLIDABLE PLATES IN SAID VERTICAL TUBE, MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY SLIDING ONE OF SAID PLATES TO TUBE OPENING POSITION WHEN THE OTHER OF SAID PLATES IS IN TUBE CLOSING POSITION, SAID VERTICAL TUBE BEING SUBSTANTIALLY RECTANGULAR IN CROSS-SECTION AND SAID PLATES CONFORMING TO THE INTERIOR CONFIGURATION THEREOF, GUIDE CHANNELS FOR SAID PLATES EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY ACROSS SAID VERTICAL TUBE, AND A SEALING GASKET IN SAID VERTICAL TUBE FOR ENGAGEMENT BY THE END OF EACH PLATE. 